Stagg Bowl moves to Friday night

Sep 22, 2011

The last time the Stagg Bowl
was played in prime time, Chuck Moore ripped off a 95-yard
touchdown run and Mount Union beat Bridgewater in front of a packed
crowd. 2001 D3sports.com photo by Pat Cummings

The Division III football championship game will be returning to
prime time for the first time since 2001, as Stagg Bowl XXXIX will
be played on Friday night, Dec. 16, with a 7 p.m. scheduled air
time on ESPNU. The game is in Salem, Va., as it has been since
1993.

The change was made to accommodate the broadcast schedule,
according to sources close to the schedule-making decision. The
Saturday broadcast schedule is too fluid, with the potential of a
Mountain Time or Pacific Time semifinal in the FCS playoffs making
a Saturday game difficult.

The City of Salem issued a release Friday afternoon. "This
is a great move for the championship," says Brad Bankston,
Commissioner of the Old Dominion Athletic Conference. "Playing at
night will provide the city and NCAA the opportunity to spotlight
Division III football in primetime, which is something we have
wanted since that 2001 game."

"We are thrilled with news that the Stagg Bowl will move under
the lights this year," says Greg Shaheen, NCAA Interim Executive
Vice President of Championships and Alliances. "Our long-standing
relationship with our hosts in Salem and the tradition-rich
opportunity to have the Stagg Bowl on a new day and time make for a
great event experience for everyone to enjoy."

With the game on Friday night, other activities scheduled for
the week will likely be adjusted as well, with the Gagliardi Trophy
ceremony potentially moving to Wednesday night and the team banquet
possibly moving to Thursday evening.

The last time the Stagg Bowl was played in prime time, 2001, it
drew a standing room-only crowd to Salem Stadium, helped by the
appearance of Bridgewater (Va.), a local favorite.

"This is a great opportunity to highlight NCAA Division III
football, as well as Salem and the entire Roanoke Valley in a
primetime national broadcast on the ESPN family of networks," says
Carey Harveycutter, Salem’s game manager for NCAA
championships, of which the area has hosted more than 50. "It
should be a great atmosphere under the lights for this year's
game."